Scrolling around...May 31, 2013

Podcast: Islam and Christianity in Britain-An Exchange
Damian Thompson and Michael Nazir-Ali

Gallup:Most Americans Say Religion Is Losing Influence in U.S.
But 75% say American society would be better off if more Americans were religious

10 Worst-Paying College Majors
You probably already know that college grads have an easier time finding jobs, and earn more those who only have a high school diploma. But that's not the whole story. Some college majors offer a much worse return on investment, with starting salaries that are no better than high school grads' pay, according to a new study released Wednesday. The study, conducted by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, looked at 2010 and 2011 salaries and unemployment rates among college grads between the ages of 22 and 26. The startling conclusion: Some majors have starting salaries no better than the average salary of a high school graduate, which is about $29,900 a year, according to the U.S. Department of Education....

Holder media backlash intensifies
...Major news outlets lined up to reject Attorney General Eric Holder’s offer of an off-the-record meeting Thursday as his conflict with the press corps escalated.

The New York Times, the Associated Press, The Huffington Post and CNN were the first major outlets to decline the offer, and Fox News, Reuters, CBS News, McClatchy and NBC News followed. The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, ABC News and Politico have said they plan on attending the meeting...

IRS may have targeted conservatives more broadly
...While the developing scandal over the targeting of conservatives by the tax agency has largely focused to date on its scrutiny of groups with words such as “tea party” or “patriot” in their names, these examples suggest the government was looking at a broader array of conservative groups and perhaps individuals. Their collective experiences at a minimum could spread skepticism about the fairness of a powerful agency that should be above reproach and at worst could point to a secret political vendetta within the government against conservatives.

The emerging stories from real people raise questions about whether the IRS scrutiny extended beyond applicants for tax-exempt status and whether individuals who donated to these tax-exempt organizations or to conservative causes also were targeted...

Where Is My Awareness Concert?
The celebrities gathered backstage, musicians and actors and the like, preparing for this important event. The big event has one purpose, to raise awareness about an unthinkable tragedy and travesty.

The U.N. report has the grisly details. Each year, over 100,000 people are killed for no other reason than for who they are and what they believe. The families of a million or more destroyed as a result. Minorities living in fear in their own countries...

Girl Scouts Join Planned Parenthood at Huge Pro-Abortion Conference
...The global organization is a well-known advocate for sexual and reproductive rights, including abortion, for youth, and claims to speak for all of its 10 million members...

Calif. Senate: Scouts didn't go far enough
...On May 23, delegates at the Boy Scouts' national meeting approved new guidelines allowing homosexual-identifying youth to be members. The policy still prohibits openly homosexual adults from serving as leaders. Six days later the California Senate, by a vote of 27-9, passed a bill that would reverse the tax-exempt status of youth organizations that discriminate on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation...

In California, Obamacare to Increase Individual Health Insurance Premiums by 64-146%
...That Obamacare more than doubles insurance premiums for many Californians is especially ironic, given the political posturing of the President and his administration in 2010...

To endure the cross...

To endure the cross is not a tragedy; it is the suffering which is the fruit of an exclusive allegiance to Jesus Christ. When it comes, it is not an accident, but a necessity. It is not the sort of suffering which is inseparable from this mortal life, but the suffering which is an essential part of the specifically Christian life. ...Dietrich Bonhoeffer image

Elderly Man With Dementia Goes Missing in Maine, Found by Local News Crew

...Reporter Norm Karkos with ABC affiliate WMTW in Portland was live on the air when Robert McDonough began walking toward the news crew and turned up in the background of its shot. As McDonough approached Karkos, who was standing outside McDonough's house, he asked what was going on... Story

A.S. Haley: The Difference Between Catholics and Episcopalians - Who Knew?

May 27, 2013

Yes, Virginia, there are people who call themselves Episcopalians, and no, they are not the same as Roman Catholics. The Episcopalians like to think themselves as better than the Catholics, because they do not have to kowtow to an old, fuddy-duddy Pope who simply cannot get with the times.

But then the world proves things otherwise. And do you know, Virginia? The Episcopalians do not even notice -- which is why they are Episcopalians.

Take last week, for instance... the rest


Political test for new bishops proposed
New bishops in the Episcopal Church should be vetted for their political orthodoxy, a paper released by the House of Bishops’ Standing Committee on Pastoral Development has proposed. The call for conformity came in a 29 April 2013 letter released under the signature of the Rt. Rev. James Waggoner, Jr., Bishop of Spokane and was sent to the church’s bishops and standing committees...

Episcopal applause for gay boy scout vote

Australian bishop resigns over abuse complaints
An Australian Bishop has resigned after an internal review found he had failed to conform to the church’s child protection and abuse reporting guidelines.

On 17 May 2013 Bishop Keith Slater of the Diocese of Grafton announced he was stepping down for having mishandled abuse allegations brought to his attention by former residents at the North Coast Children’s Home in Lismore NSW. “The abuse took place over a number of decades (1940’s to 1980’s). The alleged perpetrators included staff at the Home, visiting clergy, members of holiday host families and other residents,” he said...

Albert Mohler: No Truth Without Love, No Love Without Truth: The Church’s Great Challenge

May 30, 2013

The church’s engagement with the culture involves a host of issues, controversies, and decisions–but no issue defines our current cultural crisis as clearly as homosexuality. Some churches and denominations have capitulated to the demands of the homosexual rights movement, and now accept homosexuality as a fully valid lifestyle.

Other denominations are tottering on the brink, and without a massive conservative resistance, they are almost certain to abandon biblical truth and bless what the Bible condemns. Within a few short years, a major dividing line has become evident–with those churches endorsing homosexuality on one side, and those stubbornly resisting the cultural tide on the other.

The homosexual rights movement understands that the evangelical church is one of the last resistance movements committed to a biblical morality. Because of this, the movement has adopted a strategy of isolating Christian opposition, and forcing change through political action and cultural pressure. the rest

I believe that we are failing the test of compassion. If the first requirement of compassion is that we tell the truth, the second requirement must surely be that we reach out to homosexuals with the Gospel. This means that we must develop caring ministries to make that concern concrete, and learn how to help homosexuals escape the powerful bonds of that sin–even as we help others to escape their own bonds by grace.

Scrolling around...May 30, 2013

Expert discovers ancient Torah scroll in plain sight
An Italian expert in Hebrew manuscripts said Wednesday he had discovered the oldest known complete Torah scroll, a sheepskin document dating from 1155-1225. It was right under his nose, in the University of Bologna library, where it had been mistakenly catalogued a century ago as dating from the 17th century.

The find isn't the oldest Torah text in the world: the Leningrad and the Aleppo bibles - both of them Hebrew codexes, or books - pre-date the Bologna scroll by more than 200 years. But this is the oldest Torah scroll of the Pentateuch, the five books of Moses, according to Mauro Perani, a professor of Hebrew in the University of Bologna's cultural heritage department...

72,600,000: Record Number on Medicaid in 2012; Outnumbers Populations of France and UK
...In fiscal 2008, the last full year before President Barack Obama took office, there were 58,794,000 Medicaid enrollees. Since then, Medicaid enrollment has expanded by more than 23 percent...

Anti-Christian Discrimination in Europe
A recently released report by the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians (a nonprofit group based in Austria) supplements and confirms Paul Coleman’s article in our June/July issue about discrimination against Christians in Europe....

Evolution and the Eye Test
...Darwin is clearly aware—and bothered by the fact—that his theory of evolution through natural selection is not only unsupported by, but actually contradicts, the reports given to us through our senses, as well as the “common sense” we gain from these reports over time. So he argues, in response, that this common sense is founded on mere “imagination” rather than “reason,” and with a Kantian determination he asks that we repress our “empirical” impressions in favor of our abstract theoretical convictions.

Yet why, we can ask, should we trust Darwin’s theory more than our own eyes? As persuasively as this theory explains many phenomena of nature and archeological discoveries, is its acceptance worth having to admit that the world is actually nothing like our experience of it? If a theory that the earth rests on the shell of a giant sea turtle explained enough phenomena, would it similarly command our assent?...

List of churches cutting ties with Boy Scouts

Cross-Dressing Day Causes Stir at Milwaukee Elementary School
A Milwaukee, Wis., elementary school has come under fire from parents for encouraging children as young as five years old to cross-dress in celebration of an event billed "Gender-Bender Day" at the school last Friday...

Planned Parenthood Nurses to Testify About “Ridiculously Filthy” Abortion Clinic
Joyce Vasikonis and Jayne Mitchell-Werbrich will testify before the Delaware state Senate to recount the unsafe, unsanitary conditions which led them to quit their jobs. Last month, the women told WPVI-TV ABC News of the “meat-market style of assembly-line abortions” occurring inside the clinic.

More Gosnell horror: pro-life speech law would allow gov’t to regulate speech of pregnancy resource centers   “The bill itself acknowledges that the commission has no authority to regulate the free speech of local non-profits. But the lawmakers who sponsored this bill want to order the commission to do so anyway in their brazen attempt to harm the efforts of pro-life charitable organizations.”
Gosnell Staffer Who Snipped Neck of Baby Struggling in Toilet Released on Probation

FBI Targets Pregnancy Center That Saved 42,000 Babies From Abortions
“President Obama has put the FBI on me, and they have politely invited me to headquarters to “talk” this week,” he said. “Domestic terrorism agents have called me in to answer their questions this week, as they launch an absurd case to intimidate us.”

New York attorney general subpoenas crisis pregnancy center leader
...Not only is the state trying to get women away from pregnancy centers, but it's trying to keep protesters away from abortionists. EMC maintains a mobile ultrasound unit outside a South Bronx abortion facility. Also “coincidental with the attorney general subpoena,” Slattery said the NYPD chose to “post one to three armed New York City police officers there, in addition to one to three security guards that they already have.”...

House bill responds to Gosnell horror by attacking pro-life speech
Proposed law would allow federal gov’t to regulate speech of pregnancy resource centers...

Former Abortionist: 'If Anybody Thinks Ripping Off Arms and Legs Isn't Painful....

May 24, 2013

A former abortionist who said he had performed some 1,200 abortions before his conversion to pro-life activist, said Thursday at a House subcommittee hearing that abortion causes pain to unborn babies.

“If anybody thinks that ripping off arms and legs and crushing these children the way we’re doing during these procedures isn’t painful, they’re just kidding themselves ... badly kidding themselves,” Dr. Anthony Levatino said at a hearing on the District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. the rest

"For the first time in my life I really looked at that pile of goo at the side of the table, and all of a sudden I didn’t see her wonderful right to choose, and I didn’t see the $600 wad of cash that I made in 15 minutes, and I couldn’t think about what a great doctor I was because I took care of her problem. All I could see was somebody’s son or daughter," he said at the time.

Armed Rebels Massacre Entire Population of Christian Village in Syria

2013/05/27

The armed rebels affiliated to the Free Syrian Army (FSA) raided the Christian-populated al-Duvair village in Reef (outskirts of) Homs near the border with Lebanon today and massacred all its civilian residents, including women and children.

The Syrian army, however, intervened and killed tens of terrorists during heavy clashes which are still going on in al-Duvair village.

The armed rebels' attack and crimes in al-Duvair village came after they sustained heavy defeats in al-Qusseir city which has almost been set free by the Syrian army except for a few districts. the rest

Van Gogh's paintings come to life

May 22, 2013

Memorial Day 2013

Greater love has no one than this:
to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. -John 15:13

 

Heavenly Father, as our nation pauses today to remember those in the military who have given their lives for freedoms we enjoy, we pray you would have us all look to you for strength, comfort and guidance. Be with all who serve in our Armed Forces. Bless them and their families. Grant your loving protection. Let peace prevail among all the nations, O God. Especially let your mercy rest upon our land, even as we acknowledge with thanksgiving your past goodness on this country. If it is your will, preserve the lives of the men and women in uniform as they defend our citizenry. Most of all, we pray that you would turn the hearts of all – military and civilian – to your holy Word where we find the true peace for our sinful souls that surpasses all understanding. Keep us repentant of sin. Move us to know, take hold and treasure your saving grace. In the name of Jesus, our Savior and Your beloved Son, who alone gives this peace and hope for eternity, we pray. Amen. Found here image

Anglican Unscripted Episode 73

May 26, 2013

The world's only weekly Anglican News Broadcast in almost two years old. Anglican Unscripted covers the vast world of the Anglican Communion and Anglican Church by talking about the people and events surrounding the church and the world.

This Week Kevin and George talk about false teaching from a recent sermon of Presiding Bishop Jefferts-Schori (of the Episcopal Church). Your host also discuss clergy who do not believe what they profess. In fact, they have replaced God and Evil with something Else.

Allan talks about some of the recent legal news in the American Press and Peter talks about the terrorist attack in south London this week.

That and much, much more on this week's Anglican Unscripted.

Church Of England Unveils Plan For Women Bishops In 2015
The Church of England published a plan on Friday to approve the ordination of women bishops by 2015, a widely supported reform it just missed passing last November after two decades of divisive debate.

It said the new plan, outlined in a document signed by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Archbishop of York John Sentamu, would be presented to the General Synod, the Church legislature, in July to begin the approval process...

Jumping for joy!

Apr 20, 2013
From BBC's 'Africa'

Eternal God, eternal Trinity...

Eternal God, eternal Trinity, you have made the blood of Christ so precious through his sharing in your divine nature. You are a mystery as deep as the sea; the more I search, the more I find, and the more I find the more I search for you. But I can never be satisfied; what I receive will ever leave me desiring more. When you fill my soul I have an even greater hunger, and I grow more famished for your light. I desire above all to see you, the true light, as you really are.

I have tasted and seen the depth of your mystery and the beauty of your creation with the light of my understanding. I have clothed myself with your likeness and have seen what I shall be. Eternal Father, you have given me a share in your power and the wisdom that Christ claims as his own, and your Holy Spirit has given me the desire to love you. You are my Creator, eternal Trinity, and I am your creature. You have made of me a new creation in the blood of your Son, and I know that you are moved with love at the beauty of your creation, for you have enlightened me.

Eternal Trinity, Godhead, mystery deep as the sea, you could give me no greater gift than the gift of yourself. For you are a fire ever burning and never consumed, which itself consumes all the selfish love that fills my being. Yes, you are a fire that takes away the coldness, illuminates the mind with its light and causes me to know your truth. By this light, reflected as it were in a mirror, I recognize that you are the highest good, one we can neither comprehend nor fathom. And I know that you are beauty and wisdom itself. The food of angels, you gave yourself to man in the fire of your love.

You are the garment which covers our nakedness, and in our hunger you are a satisfying food, for you are sweetness and in you there is no taste of bitterness, O triune God!   ...Catherine of Siena image

Scrolling around...May 24, 2013

Conservatives Became Targets in 2008
The Obama campaign played a big role in a liberal onslaught that far pre-dated Citizens United....

30 Million Americans Added to Food Stamp Rolls Since 2000
U.S. welfare spending last year was enough to send each household living under the poverty line a check for $60,000...

In wake of soldier’s beheading, UK authorities on alert for anti-Muslim backlash
Fear of a continuing backlash against Muslims gripped London on Thursday following the gruesome beheading of a British soldier by two men spouting jihadist rhetoric...

Unheralded Mathematician Bridges the Prime Gap
On April 17, a paper arrived in the inbox of Annals of Mathematics, one of the discipline’s preeminent journals. Written by a mathematician virtually unknown to the experts in his field — a 50-something lecturer at the University of New Hampshire named Yitang Zhang — the paper claimed to have taken a huge step forward in understanding one of mathematics’ oldest problems, the twin primes conjecture.

Editors of prominent mathematics journals are used to fielding grandiose claims from obscure authors, but this paper was different. Written with crystalline clarity and a total command of the topic’s current state of the art, it was evidently a serious piece of work, and the Annals editors decided to put it on the fast track...  [I'm not a math person at all, but this was fascinating. -PD]

The Beauty of Bounded Gaps
A huge discovery about prime numbers—and what it means for the future of math...

Come now, turn aside for a while...

Come now, turn aside for a while from your daily employment, escape for a moment from the tumult of your thoughts. Put aside your weighty cares, let your burdensome distractions wait, free yourself for a while for God and rest awhile in him. Enter the inner chamber of your soul, shut out everything except God and that which can help you in seeking him, and when you have shut the door, seek him. Now, my soul, say to God, 'I seek your face; Lord it is your face that I seek.'  ...Anselm image

Scrolling around...May 23, 2013

Boy Scouts vote to allow openly gay members
The Boy Scouts of America's (BSA) National Council has voted in favor of a resolution to allow openly gay boys to join the organization.

Sixty percent of the 1400 delegates present at the Scouts annual meeting in Dallas, Texas voted in favor of the policy change.

The resolution states that “no youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone.”

A ban on openly homosexual Scout leaders remains in place...

The IRS Scandal And Obama’s Culture of Intimidation
The spread of the speech police under the Obama administration has long been apparent. We all saw the president’s reelection team using the politics of intimidation, with old-school “enemies lists” and explicit attacks on groups and other private citizens. At the same time, the administration has been extremely creative in employing throughout the federal government the sorts of intimidation tactics that were used at the IRS...

Military suffers wave of ‘gay’ sex assaults
...A recent military report on sexual assault in the military shocked many in Washington and around the nation, but a leading expert on military personnel revealed the prevalence of men assaulting other men is one of the major headlines in this study.

The extended analysis of the report first appeared in Monday’s edition of the the Washington Times.
The Defense Department survey of sexual assault in the military during fiscal 2012 estimated 26,000 assaults took place in the armed forces. Nearly 3,000 of them were formally reported. Just more than 6 percent of women reported being victims of assault and 1.2 percent of men said the same. Given the much larger number of men in the military, those numbers suggest 14,000 of the assaults in the Pentagon study happened to men...

Khalifa of Islam opens a biggest Mosque in British Columbia

How legal euthanasia changed Belgium for ever
...A string of recent cases leaves no doubt that the euthanasia law has fundamentally and drastically changed Belgian society. Last year 45-year-old deaf identical twin brothers who couldn’t bear the thought of going blind were granted euthanasia. Doctors granted their request because they “had nothing to live for” anyway. According to the doctor who gave the lethal injection, it was not “such a big deal.”

In another case, a 44-year-old woman with chronic anorexia nervosa was euthanised. Then a 64-year-old woman suffering from chronic depression was euthanised without informing her relatives. The doctors defended their decisions by explaining that these extreme and exceptional cases were legitimate because all legal conditions were met.

Euthanasia is hardening from a medical option into an ideology. Belgium’s euthanasia doctors even believe they are being humane because they are liberating people from their misery. Fundamentalist humanists go further and describe euthanasia as the ultimate act of self-determination. The opinion of the patient’s family has no weight whatsoever. A doctor is entitled to give the mother of a family a lethal injection without offering any explanation to her children. Euthanasia is being promoted as a “beautiful” and positive way to die. Doctors are transplanting organs from patients who die in the operation. (This is said to make their lives meaningful.) The law may soon allow children and patients with dementia to be euthanised...

The Woolwich 'beheading' is straight out of al-Qaeda's terror manual
The horrific killing in Woolwich, where a man believed to be a soldier based at the nearby Woolwich barracks was beheaded by two machete-wielding assailants, has all the hallmarks of an al-Qaeda attack.

At the time of writing we are still awaiting confirmation from security officials about the precise nature of the incident. But having just watched some ITV footage, which shows a man with bloodied hands who is carrying a machete saying directly into the camera "We swear by almighty Allah we will never stop fighting you", it seems pretty clear to me what has happened.

For years al-Qaeda activists such as Anwar al-Awlaki, the American-born cleric who preached global jidad from his base in Yemen until he was killed by a U.S. drone strike two years ago, have been calling on their followers to launch their own home-grown attacks....

Pro-abort politicians excommunicate themselves, must not receive communion: Irish archbishop
Catholic legislators who intend to vote to support the Irish government’s impending abortion law must refrain from presenting themselves to receive Holy Communion, the Coadjutor Archbishop of Armagh said last weekend.

“You cannot regard yourself as a person of faith and support abortion,” Archbishop Eamon Martin told the Sunday Times. “If a legislator comes to me and says, ‘Can I be a faithful Catholic and support abortion?’ I would say no. Your communion is ruptured if you support abortion.”...

Scrolling around...May 22, 2013

Albert Mohler: Boy Scouts at the Brink—The Moment of Decision Arrives
...The new proposal calls for the inclusion of openly homosexual boys within the Boy Scouts, but retains the exclusion of openly-gay adults. For a second time, the B.S.A. attempted to find a compromise solution that would, at least, buy the organization some time. But, for a second time, the organization actually created an impossible and unworkable proposal that, once again, will please no one.

The problems with the new policy are legion. In the first place, it fundamentally surrenders the very “expressive message” that had been recognized by the Supreme Court back in 2000. Surrendering that core conviction is, in itself, both a moral and a legal disaster. There is no reason to believe that the federal courts will now allow the B.S.A. to exclude gay adult leaders if the organization abandons its “expressive message” that homosexuality is incompatible with the values of Scouting. Some external observers have suggested that the B.S.A., fully aware of their legal surrender, just expects a court to require them to allow openly-homosexual adults as leaders, freeing the B.S.A. board from responsibility for making that decision. That will not wash. In reality, they are making that decision now.

The other problems are complex and awkward. How, exactly, are openly-gay boys to be included in the activities of Scouting? We are talking about boys who will now be expected to participate in everything from camping trips to travel with boys who are openly gay. Boys of these ages just might be the least equipped of all God’s creatures to deal with the complexities of the situation. Most parents are likely to decide that, all things considered, this is just not something they want imposed on their sons...

Pope Francis the exorcist? Bishops convinced pontiff freed boy from devil after intriguing new video emerges
Is Pope Francis an exorcist?

The question has been swirling ever since Francis laid his hands Sunday on the head of a young man after celebrating Mass in St. Peter’s Square. The young man heaved deeply a half-dozen times, shook, and he then slumped in his wheelchair as Francis prayed over him.

The television station of the Italian bishops’ conference said it had surveyed exorcists, who agreed there was “no doubt” that Francis either performed an exorcism or a prayer to free the man from the devil...

Over 50 Religious Leaders Ask Boy Scouts to Uphold Membership Standards
Fifty U.S. religious leaders have signed a statement to the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) encouraging the organization to continue its current leadership and membership standards, instead of a proposal to prohibit discrimination in membership based on ‘sexual orientation or preference.’ The discussion and vote are scheduled for May 23 at a national meeting of the BSA National Council.

The statement is signed by officials of the Southern Baptist Convention, Assemblies of God, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Anglican Church in North America, Evangelical Presbyterian Church and several Pentecostal denominations, among others. They represent churches whose memberships include over 20 million members...

UK: 'Soldier beheaded' in 'Islamist terror attack' oustide barracks in Woolwich
Two suspected terrorists were shot by armed police after attacking a pedestrian, believed to be a soldier, with a machete-style knife close to military barracks in an 'Islamist attack'...
 Witnesses say machete attackers shouted 'Allah Akhbar' as they chopped down Help for Heroes charity collector

Calls for Maiming and Killing Christians Blasts from Mosque Loudspeakers in Pakistan Villages  ...A Muslim candidate for the Punjabi Regional Assembly in Pakistan who lost the race in the national elections on May 11th is blaming the Christian minority for his loss. The Christians largely supported his opponent and the winner of the seat who is also a Muslim. Thus, the loser is calling on his supporters to drive the Christians out of the area by maiming and killing them and confiscating their lands. The police and government officials aren't able or willing to protect the Christians because the Muslim mobs then riot and threaten the government. Thus, out of fear for their own safety, they cave and let the guilty go free without consequences.

If you make a habit of sincere prayer...

If you make a habit of sincere prayer, your life will be very noticeably and profoundly altered. Prayer stamps with its indelible mark our actions and demeanor. A tranquillity of bearing, a facial and bodily repose, are observed in those whose inner lives are thus enriched. Within the depths of consciousness a flame kindles. And man sees himself. He discovers his selfishness, his silly pride, his fears, his greeds, his blunders. He develops a sense of moral obligation, intellectual humility. Thus begins a journey of the soul toward the realm of grace.

Too many people regard prayer as a formalized routine of words, a refuge for weaklings, or a childish petition for material things. We sadly undervalue prayer when we conceive it in these terms, just as we should underestimate rain by describing it as something that fills the birdbath in our garden. Properly understood, prayer is a mature activity indispensable to the fullest development of personality—the ultimate integration of man’s highest faculties. Only in prayer do we achieve that complete and harmonious assembly of body, mind and spirit which gives the frail human reed its unshakable strength. ...Alexis Carrel image

If Women Ran the World

May 21, 2013
Elizabeth Scalia

Writing for The Atlantic in September of 2012, Hanna Rosin argued that the “hookup culture” so prevalent on college campuses and in the lives of young adults is “an engine of female progress—one being harnessed and driven by women themselves.” She wrote:

To put it crudely, feminist progress right now largely depends on the existence of the hookup culture. And to a surprising degree, it is women—not men—who are perpetuating the culture, especially in school, cannily manipulating it to make space for their success, always keeping their own ends in mind.

For college girls these days, an overly serious suitor fills the same role an accidental pregnancy did in the 19th century: a danger to be avoided at all costs, lest it get in the way of a promising future.

In other words, women have succeeded in becoming the men they hated. the rest

Albert Mohler: The Goodness of God and the Reality of Evil

May 21, 2013

Every thoughtful person must deal with the problem of evil. Evil acts and tragic events come to us all in this vale of tears known as human life. The problem of evil and suffering is undoubtedly the greatest theological challenge we face.

Most persons face this issue only in a time of crisis. A senseless accident, a wasting disease, or an awful crime demands some explanation. Yesterday, evil showed its face again as a giant tornado brought death and destruction to Moore, Oklahoma.

For the atheist, this is no great problem. Life is a cosmic accident, morality is an arbitrary game by which we order our lives, and meaning is non-existent. As Oxford University’s Professor Richard Dawkins explains, human life is nothing more than a way for selfish genes to multiply and reproduce. There is no meaning or dignity to humanity...  the rest

We dare not speak on God’s behalf to explain why He allowed these particular acts of evil to happen at this time to these persons and in this manner. Yet, at the same time, we dare not be silent when we should testify to the God of righteousness and love and justice who rules over all in omnipotence. Humility requires that we affirm all that the Bible teaches, and go no further. There is much we do not understand. As Charles Spurgeon explained, when we cannot trace God’s hand, we must simply trust His heart. 

And so, we weep with those who weep, and we reach out with acts of care and compassion. We pray for those who are grieving and have experienced such loss. We cry for the children lost in this storm, even as we are so thankful for brave people who did their best to save lives as the winds raged. And, we pray: Even so, Lord come quickly.

Diversity, not Jesus, saves says Presiding Bishop

by George Conger
May 20, 2013

The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church has denounced the Apostle Paul as mean-spirited and bigoted for having released a slave girl from demonic bondage as reported in Acts 16:16-34 .

In her sermon delivered at All Saints Church in Curaçao in the diocese of Venezuela, Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori condemned those who did not share her views as enemies of the Holy Spirit.

The presiding bishop opened her remarks with an observation on the Dutch slave past. “The history of this place tells some tragic stories about the inability of some to see the beauty in other skin colors or the treasure of cultures they didn’t value or understand,” she said. the rest

Rod Dreher: For TEC Bish, Diabolism Is Diversity
...So, St. Paul cast a demon out of a slave girl, freeing her from her masters, and was beaten badly for his trouble … and today, Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori says Paul had it coming for not recognizing the slave girl’s alternative spirituality...From a putatively Christian cleric, this is simply deranged. Would that she would meet St. Paul on the street. Some of that authentically Christian apostolic voodoo might set the PB free.

Leader of the Episcopal church declares that the Apostle Paul is a bigot and gay marriage will lead to the kingdom of God  ...
Speaking in Venezuala, the Anglican “Bishop” Katharine Jefferts Schori denounced the Apostle Paul as a pro-slavery, anti-homosexual bigot. She insinuated that all cultures around the world are equal, thus devaluing Christianity.

She said that the “only road to the kingdom of God” is for man to change his way and accept gay marriage and multiculturalism...

Episcopalian leader Schori bashes on St. Paul, opposition to homosexual relationships
...Schori apparently doesn't comprehend that a demonic confession is not to be confused with faith freely given. Nor does she appreciate the irony of the story—an irony that echoes similiar situations found in the Gospels: the demons acknowledge the true identity of Christ and his followers, but those who are intent on clinging to their power and position refuse to hear the message preached and, in fact, attack those proclaiming the kingdom. As Jesus said: "But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you" (Mt 12:28)...

Scrolling around...May 21, 2013

How much news has the Obama administration successfully suppressed?
On the heels of news that the Obama administration Department of Justice was spying on reporters at the Associated Press, Monday brought the startling disclosure by the Washington Post that the DOJ had also targeted Fox reporter James Rosen for surveillance in an effort to plug up leaks.

Additionally, the New Yorker’s Ryan Lizza obtained the full application for a search warrant of Rosen’s personal email account, in which the DOJ accused him of being “an aider and abettor and/or co-conspirator.” As Lizza put it, “Rosen was not charged with any crime, but it is unprecedented for the government, in an official court document, to accuse a reporter of breaking the law for conducting the routine business of reporting on government secrets.”...

First they came for Fox News
How Hope and Change Gave Way to Spying on the Press...

A Crisis of Authority: The deeper meaning of the Obama scandals
Democracy is in peril: That is an emerging theme of the liberal left's response to the Obama scandals. The argument misses the point, no doubt deliberately. What we are witnessing now is not a crisis of democracy but a crisis of authority. The administrative state, in thrall to a decadent cultural elite, has lost the consent of the governed...

Moore tornado:
Reporter's notebook: 'You can't fathom it'

AP Photographer On Moore Tornado: 'All I Could See Was Destruction' (PHOTOS)

Crews search through the night after tornado slams Oklahoma City suburb image


Elderly woman finds dog under rubble of her house live on air after tornado hit

Wash. Florist Who Refused to Make Same-Sex Wedding Decorations Countersues
...ADF attorneys say forcing the florist to go against her beliefs in this instance would violate both the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution as well as the Washington State Constitution, which protects "freedom of conscience in all matters of religious sentiment" and says "no one shall be molested or disturbed in person or property on account of religion."...

UK: “Young Christians fear for jobs over gay marriage”
In a letter to The Daily Telegraph, 17 ministers and one archbishop expressed their concern about the consequences if the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill is passed in its current state.
The letter said: “If the Bill passes into law without much clearer protections for freedom of speech and freedom of belief, teachers and public-sector workers will have to choose between their conscience and their career, as many will be deterred from a public-service career or from charity involvement.”

Nova Scotia: School Nixes Mother’s Day And Father’s Day For More Inclusive ‘international Day Of Families’ ...“They weren’t allowed to make a card or a craft at Mother’s Day,” Allaby told the outlet. “So, I asked my friends that go to schools in the neighboring area, and they said yes, that their child had come home with a Mother’s Day card or craft, and it was a little upsetting to me.”...

Abortion Doc Who Kept Remains of 35 Aborted Babies Loses License  ...“In view of the fraudulent and deceptive nature of Dr. Riley’s criminal conduct, her demonstrated lack of candor and integrity on her application to the Board and to Utah and Wyoming, and her demonstrated propensity for dishonesty and misrepresentation, Dr. Riley’s unprofessional conduct is not remediable,” stated the Board. “In light of the unprofessional manner in which she treated this critically damaged patient, the Board does not believe that Maryland patients would be safe in the hands of this physician. Dr. Riley’s fraudulent acts and unprofessional treatment of the patient merit the permanent revocation of her medical license in this State.”...

DOJ on Gays: ‘Silence Will Be Interpreted as Disapproval’
...Our sources have provided Liberty Counsel an internal DOJ document titled, “LGBT Inclusion at Work: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Managers.” It was emailed to DOJ managers in advance of the left’s so-called “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month.”

The document is chilling. It’s riddled with directives that grossly violate—prima facie—employees’ First Amendment liberties.

Following are excerpts from the “DOJ Pride” decree. When it comes to “LGBT” employees, managers are instructed:

• “DON’T judge or remain silent. Silence will be interpreted as disapproval.” (Italics mine.)

That’s a threat.

And not even a subtle one.

Got it? For Christians and other morals-minded federal employees, it’s no longer enough to just shut up and “stay in the closet”—to live your life in silent recognition of biblical principles (which, by itself, is unlawful constraint). When it comes to mandatory celebration of homosexual and cross-dressing behaviors, “silence will be interpreted as disapproval.”...

Anglican Mainstream statement on the same-sex couples bill – what is at issue

May 20th, 2013

 

The basic issue in the same-sex couples bill is “What is marriage?” The bill renders marriage a genderless institution since any combination of two adults will do. When a child is born there is always mother around. The question is, where is the father? The bill sends out the message that fathers are dispensable for children. It completely decouples marriage from procreation, consummation and adultery. Once marriage is redefined and reduced to only an intimate relationship, on what logical basis could the law turn away three people who say they want  to get married?

Government has a strong interest in supporting man-woman marriage because that has been shown to be the best context for raising children who grow up to be good citizens for the next generation. Traditional marriage is recognised for sound reasons in public policy and the Government has no business in redefining it.

Are children to be in born in random arrangements or are they to be conceived in a permanent relationship where the mother and father love each other as much as they love their child? 'Other arrangements' on average put much greater burdens on the state which so often has to step in and provide cash and care. 

Churches should not be fooled by the suggestion of legal protection. This will certainly be challenged in the name of “equality”.  Neither should they be fooled by the suggestion that any future government would safeguard such “protections”. The great danger is that people who believe in traditional marriage will be punished for their views in their careers and in accessing public services such as fostering or adoption. Government has no business in redefining marriage.

Dr Philip Giddings (Convenor)
Canon Dr Chris Sugden (Secretary)
Anglican Mainstream
link

Keep watch, dear Lord...

Keep watch, dear Lord,

With those who work, or watch, or weep this night,

 And give your angels charge over those who sleep.

Tend the sick, Lord Christ;

Give rest to the weary, bless the dying,

Soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted,

Shield the joyous; and all for your love's sake.

 Amen. image

Scrolling around...May 20, 2013

Study: Children Start Watching Porn at Age 6
Kids start watching porn online from as early as the age of 6—and are flirting on the Internet from the age of 8—according to a Bitdefender marketing study of over 19,000 parents worldwide...

President met with anti-Tea Party IRS union chief the day before agency targeted Tea Party
...In short: the very day after the president of the quite publicly anti-Tea Party labor union — the union for IRS employees — met with President Obama, the manager of the IRS “Determinations Unit Program agreed” to open a “Sensitive Case report on the Tea party cases.” As stated by the IG report...

Chinese Hackers Resume Attacks on U.S. Targets
 Three months after hackers working for a cyber unit of China’s People’s Liberation Army went silent amid evidence that they had stolen data from scores of American companies and government agencies, they appear to have resumed their attacks  using different techniques, according to computer industry security experts and American officials...

Senator: Investigate Doc Who Twists Off Babies’ Necks in Abortions
A U.S. senator from Texas says a recently-exposed abortion practitioner who is the second Kermit Gosnell and twists the heads off of babies he brutally kills in late-term abortions needs to become a subject of investigation...

Workers in facilities like Gosnell’s and Karpen’s ‘are starting to panic’ ...Assistants and employees at abortion clinics who “have been involved in these things are starting to panic,” Crutcher said. “I know you're going to see more and more of these people coming forward and...trying to make deals with prosecutors like some of those people in Pennsylvania probably wish they had.”

“One of the things that has gotten glossed over in the Gosnell situation is that not only did Gosnell get convicted of murder and he's going to spend the rest of his life in jail, [but] eight of his employees got convicted of crimes,” Crutcher said...

Church of Scotland debates gay ordinations
...The report sets out the traditionalist and revisionist views on the ordination of ministers who are in same-sex relationships.

Drawn up by the Church's Theological Commission, it notes that some of the views expressed will be met with "anxious concern" and that some may feel they can no longer remain within the Church of Scotland.

Revisionists argue in the report that "God is calling the Church in this generation to acceptance and affirmation of stable, committed, faithful same-sex partnerships"...

Albert Mohler: “By What Power or by What Name Did You Do This?” The Question Every Minister of Christ Must Long to Be Asked ...That is precisely the right question. It sounds so strange to us, but it is exactly the right question. By what right, by whose name, in whose authority had they dared to do these things?

This is the question every true minister of Christ should long to be asked. Note carefully that it only makes sense to ask this question after something happens that demands it. Sadly, there have been many who have entered the ministry and retired into history, never having been asked this question. This question is asked of the bold, the courageous, the convictional. This is the question asked in the wake of any great demonstration of the Gospel’s power and of God’s determined power to save. It is the question asked in the wake of true revival. It is the obvious question to ask when a lame man begins to walk and leap, when the blind begin to see and the mute begin to speak.

But it is also the obvious question to ask every time the great good news of the Gospel is declared. Indeed, it is the obvious question to ask every time the Word of God is rightly and bravely preached. “By what power or by what name did you do this?”..

Why American Kids Have ADHD and French Kids Don’t
...The real question is not “Why don’t French kids have ADHD?” The real question is “Why do American kids have it?” After all, we’re the ones who are abnormal.

We really don’t have an ADHD epidemic in this country. Our brains are not less healthy than the French. Instead, we have an epidemic of parents looking for a scientific excuse for their own disappointment in their children, and we have a glut of lazy doctors willing to prescribe whatever drugs parents request.

Hyperactivity? Yes, many of our children are hyperactive. Inability to focus? Yes, many of our children cannot focus their attention on a particular task. I’m not saying that the symptoms of ADHD aren’t real. These symptoms, however, do not stem from biological imbalances that require medication. The problem isn’t our children; the problem is us. We’ve created their social context, and it’s not a place where they can thrive. It’s time to admit that parents are the problem, not the children...

'I Personally Know 15 People Who Wrote Out Big Checks to Mitt Romney and Within 90 Days Got IRS Audit Notices'

The IRS Is in Big Trouble
...Call me an alarmist, but the IRS is in trouble—big trouble. And considering our nation’s irresponsible fiscal path, an IRS rocked by scandal would be nothing less than catastrophic. This is an agency under siege....

Government Loses Control-Tea party and other groups use social media to spread the news about IRS abuse world-wide
...As the nation's chief executive, President Obama is accountable for the IRS, State Department and Justice Department. His longtime adviser David Axelrod last week blamed a too-big government for the scandals: "Part of being president is that there's so much beneath you that you can't know because the government is so vast."

Messrs. Obama and Axelrod helped create that problem, but the argument against big government rings especially true in an era when not even the government can control information.

The wind that blew upon them...

I look again at the lives of these apostles, and I find them distinguished by magnificent force of character. In the early days they were timid, pliable, unfaithful. In supreme crises they deserted their Master and fled. They were as reeds shaken by the wind. The wind that blew upon them from the haunts of desolation, the keen, perilous winds of persecution, made these disciples bend before their blast. The men were negative, hesitant, uncertain, altogether lacking in persistent force. But now the timid and fearful have become positive and affirmative. There is nothing lax about them, nothing wavering, nothing yielding. Their characters have become strong, and steady, and effective. I say they have got force of character, and they have the two elements that are always found in forceful character: they have light and they have heat. They have light in the sense of clarity of purpose. Their outlook is not confused. Their aim is perfectly clear. If we watch them in the service of their Lord we find them never to be diverted from their track. “This one thing I do.” They have this primary element in a forceful character, the clarity of an undivided aim. And the second element in a forceful character is heat, the fire of a quenchless enthusiasm. And they certainly had this fire in glorious strength and abundance. The Acts of the Apostles is a burning book. There is no cold or lukewarm patch from end to end. The disciples had been baptized with fire, with the holy, glowing enthusiasm caught from the altar of God. They had this central fire, from which every other purpose and faculty in the life gets its strength. This fire in the apostles’ soul was like a furnace-fire in a great liner, which drives her through the tempests and through the envious and engulfing deep. Nothing could stop these men! Nothing could hinder their going! “We cannot but speak the things that we have seen and heard.” “We must obey God rather than man.” This strong imperative rings throughout all their doings and all their speech. They have heat, and they have light, because they were baptized by the power of the Holy Ghost. ...Dr. JH Jowett image

Why We Must Care: A Letter from the Desk of Bishop John Guernsey

The following letter by Bishop John Guernsey originally appeared on the website of the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic of the Anglican Church of North America.

Dear Friends,

The murder trial of the Philadelphia abortionist, Dr. Kermit Gosnell, has been of great interest and deep concern to me. I wish I could say it had captured the attention of the nation, but, as you may know, it was largely ignored by the media. (The executive editor of the Washington Post said he hadn’t been aware of the story.) The trial was sickening, not because of the filth in the clinic, not because of the body parts of fetuses in jars, not because of the reprehensibly irresponsible medical care which caused the death of 41-year old Karnamaya Mongar of Woodbridge, VA. The trial wasn’t sickening because it showed something exceptional, but because it showed what abortion is and does. For many years, the pro-life movement has emphasized the link between abortion and infanticide. The ethic that defends the killing of babies in the womb so easily leads to justifying the killing of them a few minutes later and a few inches away, just outside the womb. But in recent months the support of infanticide in the pro-abortion movement has grown and become increasingly clear.

A Planned Parenthood lobbyist testified in March against a Florida bill that would require abortionists to provide emergency medical care to a baby who survives an abortion. She was asked, “If a baby is born on a table as a result of a botched abortion, what would Planned Parenthood want to have happen to that child that’s struggling for life?” She answered: “We believe that any decision that’s made should be left up to the woman, her family, and the physician.” You can read about this and see the video here.

This is not merely a theoretical discussion. Infanticide is practiced in America far more than most of us realize. Live Action, the pro-life organization founded by Lila Rose when she was just 15 years old, has recorded a series of undercover videos at late term abortion clinics. These stunning videos demonstrate that Dr. Gosnell is not an exception. The murder of infants after being born alive during an abortion is all too common.  the rest

Peace Must Never Be Accepted On Boko Haram's Term–Anglican Primate Nicholas Okoh
Addressing the third session of the eight synod of the Anglican Church in Abuja, Most Reverend Okoh said it’s a pitfall that must be avoided by the committee because it would inadvertently create an Islamic state in the northern part of the country.

Most Reverend Okoh also added that a public discussion should have been held before the amnesty committee was set up...

Noonan: Political abuse of the IRS threatens the basic integrity of our government...

May 17, 2013
by Peggy Noonan

We are in the midst of the worst Washington scandal since Watergate. The reputation of the Obama White House has, among conservatives, gone from sketchy to sinister, and, among liberals, from unsatisfying to dangerous. No one likes what they're seeing. The Justice Department assault on the Associated Press and the ugly politicization of the Internal Revenue Service have left the administration's credibility deeply, probably irretrievably damaged. They don't look jerky now, they look dirty. The patina of high-mindedness the president enjoyed is gone.

Something big has shifted. The standing of the administration has changed.

As always it comes down to trust. Do you trust the president's answers when he's pressed on an uncomfortable story? Do you trust his people to be sober and fair-minded as they go about their work? Do you trust the IRS and the Justice Department? You do not.

The president, as usual, acts as if all of this is totally unconnected to him. He's shocked, it's unacceptable, he'll get to the bottom of it. He read about it in the papers, just like you.

But he is not unconnected, he is not a bystander. This is his administration. Those are his executive agencies. He runs the IRS and the Justice Department...  the rest
Also: Stay Shocked

IRS asked pro-life group about 'the content of their prayers'


May 18, 2013
Rep. Mike Kelly

Falls Church Anglican Seeks Rehearing After Losing Property Suit to Episcopal Church

By Michael Gryboski
May 16, 2013

An Anglican congregation in Virginia that recently lost a property suit against The Episcopal Church is asking for a rehearing before the state Supreme Court.

George Ward, senior warden of the vestry of The Falls Church Anglican, told The Christian Post that the congregation will submit a petition that may be heard by the Court.

"Our attorneys looked carefully at the opinion and they briefed our vestry on it, and the attorneys highlighted for us that the opinion is based at least in part on arguments that really had not been raised in the seven years of litigation," said Ward. "Since they had not been raised, we have not been able to either brief them or argue them before the Court. And so, by putting in a petition for a rehearing, that would enable us to argue those issues." the rest

A.S. Haley: Confusion (among Amateur Canonists) about California Ruling
Now comes a task I would rather not face, given that I count many non-canon lawyers who are bloggers on Episcopal matters at least as colleagues, if not as personal friends. But in the wake of my commentary on the recent St. James ruling, a host of lay would-be canonists have rushed in to assure everyone that the ruling is not as bad as it is, or that it does not really say what it says. The latest comes from the estimable Father Haller, but he and others have also been contributing to the comments on other blogs. (Note that no one has seen fit to come here and question me directly.)

Let's clear up one simple matter first: the ruling is not yet precedent for California courts, because it is only the decision of a single trial judge in Orange County, California. As I pointed out in my original post, it will become problematic only if it is affirmed upon appeal.  (But as I also pointed out in my post, all of the appeals taken thus far by St. James in this case were decided against them initially by the Court of Appeals.)

Next, let's wade into the legal realities. Forget all talk about "alienating parish property."  That never occurred in the St. James case.  Far from alienating any real property in 1991, St. James acquired it.  Those (like Fr. Haller) who cite Canon I.7.3 about needing the permission of the Standing Committee in addition to the permission of the diocesan bishop to waive the Dennis Canon upon the acquisition of property are barking up the wrong tree here. Unlike the Dennis Canon itself, that Canon simply does not apply to a parish's acquisition of property...

Anglican church in Turlock to close, open elsewhere
After years of fighting a lawsuit over its property, the parishioners of St. Francis Anglican Church in Turlock will close their doors for the final time Sunday and walk to a new beginning a few blocks away.

The 75 or so regular attendees will take almost nothing with them — not even membership and financial records of the past few years — and instead will start from scratch as Grace Anglican Church in rented space at another local church.

"At the end of the day, we walk away from all this with a great deal of peace in our hearts," said the Rev. Gerry Grossman, who has led St. Francis Anglican Church since 2008.

Why We Must Care: A Letter from the Desk of Bishop John Guernsey
The following letter by Bishop John Guernsey originally appeared on the website of the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic of the Anglican Church of North America.

Dear Friends,

The murder trial of the Philadelphia abortionist, Dr. Kermit Gosnell, has been of great interest and deep concern to me. I wish I could say it had captured the attention of the nation, but, as you may know, it was largely ignored by the media. (The executive editor of the Washington Post said he hadn’t been aware of the story.) The trial was sickening, not because of the filth in the clinic, not because of the body parts of fetuses in jars, not because of the reprehensibly irresponsible medical care which caused the death of 41-year old Karnamaya Mongar of Woodbridge, VA. The trial wasn’t sickening because it showed something exceptional, but because it showed what abortion is and does.For many years, the pro-life movement has emphasized the link between abortion and infanticide. The ethic that defends the killing of babies in the womb so easily leads to justifying the killing of them a few minutes later and a few inches away, just outside the womb. But in recent months the support of infanticide in the pro-abortion movement has grown and become increasingly clear.

Peace Must Never Be Accepted On Boko Haram's Term–Anglican Primate Nicholas Okoh
Addressing the third session of the eight synod of the Anglican Church in Abuja, Most Reverend Okoh said it’s a pitfall that must be avoided by the committee because it would inadvertently create an Islamic state in the northern part of the country.

Most Reverend Okoh also added that a public discussion should have been held before the amnesty committee was set up...

Anglican Unscripted Episode 72

May 18, 2013

Episode 72 of Anglican Unscripted brings even more news about the Anglican Church (Communion) around the world. Kevin and George talk about stories from Tanzania and Nigeria, who are dealing with internal conflict and Muslim-on-Christian violence.

It is also time to give an update on the Temporary Same Sex Liturgies the Episcopal Church passed at General Convention last year and who is using them and who is not.

AS Haley updates all the major legal cases around the country and discusses the late breaking news from The Falls Church.

Peter Ould talks about the growing conflict and investigation in Jersey. It is hard to tell if the biggest issue is jurisdiction or lack of transparency.

Finally, in the blooper real at the end of the episode (after the credits) one of our contributors reveals a hidden talent.

Holy Spirit of God...

Holy Spirit of God, visit now this soul of mine, and tarry within it until the eventide. Inspire all my thoughts. Pervade all my imaginations. Suggest all my decisions. Lodge in my soul's most inward citadel, and order all my doings. Be with me in silence and in my speech, in my haste and in my leisure, in company and in solitude, in the freshness of the morning and the weariness of the evening. Give me grace at all times to rejoice in Thy mysterious companionship. ...John Baillie image

Scrolling around...May 17, 2013

IRS Scandal Raises Specter of Politically Motivated Healthcare Denials
Byron York of the Washington Examiner wrote yesterday that the IRS scandal could lead to fears about the agency's role in enforcing Obamacare:

"The IRS will also decide who is, and who is not, eligible for Obamacare's subsidies. The law authorizes the IRS to share confidential taxpayer information with the Department of Health and Human Services for the purpose of determining those subsidies."

"In addition, the IRS will keep track of even the smallest changes in Americans' financial condition. Did you get a raise recently? You'll need to notify the IRS; it might affect your subsidy status. Have your hours been reduced at work? Notify the IRS. Change jobs? Same."

Those fears have been ongoing since Obamacare was first rammed through. Financial worries and concern over loss of property, along with the stress of a "new normal" sluggish economy have been at the top of the list of most thinking Americans...

Report: IRS Deliberately Chose Not to Fess Up to Scandal Before Election
...The IRS commissioner "has known for at least a year that this was going on," said Myers, "and that this had happened. And did he share any of that information with the White House? But even more importantly, Congress is going to ask him, why did you mislead us for an entire year? Members of Congress were saying conservatives are being targeted. What's going on here? The IRS denied it. Then when -- after these officials are briefed by the IG that this is going on, they don't disclose it. In fact, the commissioner sent a letter to Congress in September on this subject and did not reveal this. Imagine if we -- if you can -- what would have happened if this fact came out in September 2012, in the middle of a presidential election? The terrain would have looked very different."...


Pro-Abortion Planned Parenthood’s New Ad Campaign: Your Baby Will Thank You
This ad proves that insanity can indeed reach new heights...

James Dobson confirms slam campaign against his group
...That was confirmed today when Dr. James Dobson, whose has served as an adviser to presidents and now runs Dr. James Dobson’s FamilyTalk, said his organization’s status was threatened because it didn’t present “all views.”..

Why Canadians Are Turning Away From Organized Religion
...Observers noted that among the survey’s most striking findings is that one in four Canadians, or 7.8 million people, reported they had no religious affiliation at all. That was up sharply from 16.5 percent from the 2001 census, and 12 percent in 1991...

Why is television canceling its homosexuals shows?
Broadcast networks featured more homosexual characters during the 2012-2013 season than ever before. The Big Four networks lost 7.5 percent of their viewership, with a more profound exodus occurring among the 18-49 demographic coveted by Madison Avenue. Do mainstream viewers not care for so many gay men in their living rooms?

“Gentrification of the Heart”
...Pope Francis warned against “gentrification of the heart” as a consequence of comfortable living, and called on the faithful to “touch the flesh of Christ” by caring for the needy...

Why Private Schools Are Dying Out
...Consider today's realities. Private K-12 enrollments are shrinking -- by almost 13 percent from 2000 to 2010. Catholic schools are closing right and left. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia, for example, announced in January that 44 of its 156 elementary will cease operations next month. (A few later won reprieves.) In addition, many independent schools (day schools and especially boarding schools) are having trouble filling their seats -- at least, filling them with their customary clientele of tuition-paying American students. Traditional nonprofit private colleges are also challenged to fill their classroom seats and dorms, to which they're responding by heavily discounting their tuitions and fees for more and more students...

Pre-med University of South Florida student John Andrew Welden arrested for tricking girlfriend into taking abortion pill ...Welden is facing a possible life sentence after the feds accused him of tricking his girlfriend, 26-year-old Remee Lee, into taking an abortion pill.

According to the federal indictment, 28-year-old Welden forged the signature of his physician father, Dr. Stephen Welden, an OB/GYN, for a prescription pill that can terminate pregnancy. He then allegedly switched the label to make it look like a bottle of antibiotics.

Lee lost the baby a short time later...

Christianity could be facing a catastrophic collapse in Britain according to official figures suggesting it is declining 50 per cent faster than previously thought.